On this episode of The Story & Craft Podcast, we sit down with actor, writer and producer, Katie O'Brien from the Tubi series “The Z-Suite!” We explore Katie's career journey from Omaha to L.A., through the world of improv and her successful stint with the comedy group “The Katie Dids.” Katie shares her experiences working on “Teachers”, advice and anecdotes about navigating Hollywood, and her approach to storytelling that bridges generational gaps. Additionally, we dive into comedic inspirations from Christopher Guest to reality TV, and how Katie balances the roles of writer and producer and showrunner. This was a fun exploration of the creative process and the essence of multigenerational comedy.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

02:24 Katie's Journey: From Omaha to LA

04:09 The Comedy Path: Improv and The Katie Dids

09:08 Creating Teachers: From Web Series to TV Show

11:22 Life in LA: Jobs, Struggles, and Breakthroughs

26:11 Post-Teachers Career and COVID Impact

30:29 Navigating the Pandemic on Set

31:05 The Need for More Comedy

31:36 Creating the Show

32:53 Generational Dynamics in the Show

36:39 Casting the Characters

40:23 Writing Process and Inspirations

44:34 Gen Z Research and Realism

47:48 The Seven Questions

58:06 Final Thoughts and Advice

Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast app. Also, check out the show and sign up for the newsletter at www.storyandcraftpod.com

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